Two PCC students elected to KANS officer positions

15 November 2012

Newly elected Kansas Association of Nursing Student President, Christopher Robinson and Vice-President of Convention Kristin Baker travelled to San Diego this past week to represent Pratt Community College as well as the KANS organization at the NSNA 30th Annual Mid-Year Conference. Robinson, along with fellow PCC student Kristin Baker, were elected to their positions respectively for the KANS organization earlier in the fall.

The Pratt Kansas Association of Nursing has a mission to "assume responsibility for contributing to nursing education in order to provide for higher quality of health care; to provide programs representative of fundamental interests and concerns; to aid in development of the whole person, his or her professional role, and to contribute to and promote the profession of nursing."

"Having two students step up to be considered then to be elected to a nursing student organization portrays incorporation of leadership skills these two students received from their practical nursing education at WATC and now at PCC," said Dr. Gail Withers, Dean of the Nursing Program at Pratt Community College.

Nursing students from Pratt's main campus, as well as Wichita, and Winfield, as well as online nursing students are members of the P-KANS organization, and all of PCC's on-campus students from Pratt, Winfield, and Wichita were required to attend the fall convention in which Robinson and Baker were elected.

To be elected, each candidate was required to give a speech which outlined the office they were running for and why they felt they would be effective in that position. This also marks the first time PCC has had multiple officers in leadership positions in the KANS organization in concurrent terms.

"I am proud to have two nursing students representing PCC in state leadership roles," said Withers. "Leadership is important in every level of nursing and this opportunity can help develop leadership skills as well as to open opportunities."

P-KANS, PCC�s local chapter of KANS is sponsored by Amanda Decker and Chris Lerback, and has been in existence for 7 years, and has been responsible for Breast Cancer Awareness fund raisers as well as community service as well. Currently all three campuses are looking into carrying out a combined community outreach project.

P-KANS meetings are held monthly at 12:30 on the last Wednesday of each month August-November and January-April, facilitated through ITV between all three campuses. For additional information, contact one of the sponsors at chrisl@prattcc.edu or amandad@prattcc.edu.